Unical to have Police, Naval Stations on Campus

In a bid to curb the menace of cultism and other social vices in the institution, the University of Calabar, Unical has been granted approval by the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Navy to have a permanent Police Station as well as Naval Base on campus.

Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Zana Akpagu disclosed this on Tuesday at the University Senate Chambers during the 32 pre-convoction press briefing.

Akpagu said that while the management of the institution has obtained approval of the Chief of Navy Staff Admiral Ibas to have a Naval base at the maritime area of the University, the Cross River State Commissioner of Police, Austin Agbonlahor was in the University last week to inspect the facility for the Police Station.

He maintained that having the security presence on campus was important to curb the activities of cultists and kidnappers whom he described as "killer squad".

The VC said that "We have transformed one of the quarters of a Professor that kidnappers tried to abduct into s Police Station. The new Commissioner of Police was on campus here few days ago inspect facilities for the station.

"You know we're surrounded by waters; we have also writhen and gotten approval of the Chief of Naval Staff to have a Naval base on campus. Most of the kidnappers come through the waterways, abduct people and use the waterways to get to the creeks.

"Drastic times calls for drastic measures therefore we're doing everything possible to continue to improve security on campus. We have recorded huge success since we came on board but we will continue adopt every measure to consolidate on our achievements in the area of security".

The VC further disclosed that that University will be convoking 9,1974 graduands with 51 of them bagging first class honours.

Ha gave the breakdown as "First degrees, 7,782. Five people have first class but 46 others from our affiliate institutions also made first class so the total for first class is 51. 2,356 made second class upper while 4,535 made second class lower. 6,72 will be graduating with third class while 42 have pass.

For Ordinary Diploma, we have 318. You know by NUC standard, we are not allowed as a University to award Ordinary Diploma Degrees but institutes can. So the number you see here are from our institutes.

"Fro higher degrees, we will be graduating 251, PhDs, 602, Masters and 221, Post Graduate Dipolma".

The VC said that part of activities to mark the convocation will be commissioning of projects completed in the last one year. Some of the projects are, Ultramodern ICT Laboratory, Faculty of Arts Annex, Faculty of Education Administrative block, female postgraduate hostel, Dental Laboratory amongst others".